Just Listen

Warmth of Light

Here we are at day 14, the last day of our challenge the last day of our walk with Jesus, but is it really?  Is it really our last day?  It doesn’t have to be, for everyday he walks with us.  So then, let us acknowledge His presence and welcome His company.  Let us continue this journey that we may gain greater light and knowledge, that we may live everyday with peace, with comfort, with hope……

If your just joining this series, this is a continuation of The Invitation, a  previously posted blog challenge to walk with Jesus.  Please feel free to read the other days and start at anytime! Incorporate this challenge to fit you!  Weekly, monthly, daily however it will work for you!   All material is original blog material written by Dixie. ( I just borrowed the idea ;)   Scripture suggestions are from my personal study, all thoughts and challenges are from my personal history and my future as I too continue to strive for more closeness to Christ.

Thought for the day:  As we acknowledge the presence of Christ in our life, let us realize that the light of Christ resides in all, in everyone that has ever been born.  It is an unconditional gift that is given to us freely, that we may endure this test of life, that we may know good from evil, that we may never be alone.
“The scriptures tell us that the Light of Christ, which “proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space,” is “the light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God.”  It is manifested in the light of the sun, moon, and stars and is the power by which they and the earth were made. It is also the light that quickens our understanding. the Light of Christ “is the agency of God’s power; it is the means and way whereby ‘he comprehendeth all things,’ so that ‘all things are before him, and all things are round about him.’ It is the way whereby ‘he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things. – Bruce R McConkie  
One manifestation of the light of Christ is conscience, which helps  us choose between right and wrong,  and as we learn more about the gospel, our consciences becomes more sensitive; giving us a desire to do good. This will help us understand truth and help to put us on that gospel path which leads to salvation. Greater understanding about the Light of Christ will come to us as we obey the Lord and seek knowledge with pure intent. While we are growing in such knowledge, our greatest concern and effort should be to listen to and follow the voice of the Spirit that we might do the will of our Father in Heaven, to accomplish what he would have us do.

So then let us come unto Christ, let us live so that we invite always his light to reside with us. As we live daily and struggle daily, let our goal be to keep our hearts open to the promptings of his spirit and choose the right which will strengthen us; and let our minds be filled with knowledge that we may never forget that we are not alone.  No matter what we struggle we are not alone, if we allow him, he will walk with us continually….

15 “For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

 16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

 17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

 18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

 19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.” – Moro. 7:15–19

Penny in the shoe: today, when you feel the penny in your shoe remember that no matter what you are struggling with, there is always hope, there is always hope if we come unto Christ….

Challenge for the day:  Choose Ye therefore Christ the Lord.  Live today so that anyone who sees you, who knows you, but doesn’t know him, will want to know him because they know you……

Suggested Scripture Reading: (reading made easy click to view) John 1:4–9 John 8:12 Ps. 27:1  Isa. 2:5  Isa. 60:19 John 3:19–21;  Alma 38:9

Journaling Thought: How has the last 14 days affected my life,  have I been more aware of His love?

PATTERNS OF LIGHT….

With Love,
Dixie.....

Hope of Things not Seen

This is a continuation of The Invitation, a  previously posted blog challenge.  We are now on Day 11.  Please feel free to read the other days and start at anytime! Incorporate this challenge to fit you!  Weekly, monthly, daily however it will work for you!   All material is original blog material written by Dixie. ( I just borrowed the idea ;)   Scripture suggestions are from my personal study, all thoughts and challenges are from my personal history and my future as I too continue to strive for more closeness to Christ.  

Thought for the day:   Would we work each day if we did not hope that by doing so we could accomplish something? Each day we act upon things we hope for when we cannot see the end result. This is faith.  Faith is a strong belief of truth within our souls that motivates us to do good.

To have faith in Jesus Christ means to have such trust in Him that we obey whatever He commands. As we place our faith in Jesus Christ, becoming His obedient disciples, Heavenly Father will forgive our sins and prepare us to return to Him.  The Savior teaches us that if we have faith as the grain of a mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible to you.  A mustard seed is very small but, grows into a large tree.  Thus the lesson is we should increase our faith, the more faith we have, the stronger faith we have, the better we will be.

How do we increase our faith?  We study, we pray, we work on it.  We increase our faith by acting on our desire to have faith.  But keep in mind "faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17)  “There must be works with faith. How foolish it would be to ask the Lord to give us knowledge, but how wise to ask the Lord’s help to acquire knowledge, to study constructively, to think clearly, and to retain things that we have learned” ......…"know this, that just as undaunted faith has stopped the mouths of lions, made ineffective fiery flames, opened dry corridors through rivers and seas, protected against deluge and drouth, and brought heavenly manifestations at the instance of prophets, so in each of our lives faith can heal the sick, bring comfort to those who mourn, strengthen resolve against temptation, relieve from the bondage of harmful habits, lend strength to repent and change our lives, and lead to a sure knowledge of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Indomitable faith can help us live the commandments with a willing heart and thereby bring blessings unnumbered. …”-Spencer W Kimball

Penny in the shoe:  as you feel the penny in your shoe, think about your everyday activities. What are things you act upon each day that you cannot see the end results of? How does faith move you to action?

Challenge for the day:   Act on your desire to have faith or to increase and strengthen your faith.  An important way to increase our faith is to hear and study the word of the Lord as well as improving daily in living the commandments.


“In faith we plant the seed, and soon we see the miracle of the blossoming. Men have often misunderstood and have reversed the process.... many of us want to have health and strength without keeping the health laws. We want to have prosperity without paying our tithes. We want to be close to the Lord but don’t want to fast and pray. We want to have rain in due season and to have peace in the land without observing the Sabbath as a holy day and without keeping the other commandments of the Lord.-Spencer W. Kimball

Suggested Scripture Study:  (reading made easy just click to view) 
Hebrews 11  Exodus 14:19–22   Genesis 6–8   Matthew 8:5–33   Mark 5:25–34   Romans 10:17   Alma 32

Journaling Thought:  What relationship do you see between your faith and your actions?


"Finding Faith in Christ" is a short film below that  I hope will touch your heart, and put us on our way to finding more faith in Christ......

Love from Dixie

In Gratitude.....

This is a continuation of The Invitation, a  previously posted blog challenge.  We are now on Day 6.  Please feel free to read the other days and start at anytime! Incorporate this challenge to fit you!  Weekly, monthly, daily however it will work for you!   All material is original blog material written by Dixie. ( I just borrowed the idea ;)   Scripture suggestions are from my personal study, all thoughts and challenges are from my personal history and my future as I too continue to strive for more closeness to Christ.

Thought for the day:  We are all thankful for the good things in our lives, for the peace for the comforts, for the things that make us happy, for the things that bring us joy.  But what about the burdens, the tragedies, the tough times?  When we study the gospel of Jesus Christ, we learn that we are here on the earth today in order to progress, to learn, to grow, and to be perfected, that we may live again with our Father in Heaven.   In order to do that we must be tried and tested, purged and purified, that we may be made perfect through suffering, that we will learn to put our whole trust and faith in God.  This is something I must think on personally everyday as I live, like many others I am sure, in the refiner’s fire.  I have buried my 20-year-old son, 3-year-old daughter and 34-year-old step son, these are among my heaviest of burdens. I anger not at my Savior though, because of my tragedy.  I love him for death is not the end, and I am a new woman today because of the things I have suffered.  I glory not in the death of my children, I am not happy because of it I am not thankful for it, in that way, but I am thankful for the woman it forced me to become as rather than turning to anger and the ways of the world, I stayed with Father in Heaven and he heals my heart…….my trials have put my faith in a more perfect way….

“We complain sometimes about our trials. We need not do that. These are things that are necessary for our perfection. We think sometimes that we are not rightly treated, and I think we think correctly about some of these things. We think there are plots set on foot to entrap us; and I think we think so very correctly. At the same time we need not be astonished at these things. We need not be amazed at a feeling of hatred and animosity. Why? Because we are living in a peculiar day and age of the world; which is distinctively called the latter days.  I know that as other men we have our trials, afflictions, sorrows, and privations. We meet with difficulties; we have to contend with the world, with the powers of darkness, with the corruptions of men, and a variety of evils; yet at the same time through these things we have to be made perfect. It is necessary that we should have a knowledge of ourselves, of our true position and standing before God, and comprehend our strength and weakness; our ignorance and intelligence, our wisdom and our folly, that we may know how to appreciate true principles, and comprehend and put a proper value upon all things as they present themselves before our minds.  It is necessary that we should know our own weaknesses, and the weaknesses of our fellow men; our own strength as well as the strength of others; and comprehend our true position before God, angels, and men; that we may be inclined to treat all with due respect, and not to over value our own wisdom or strength, nor depreciate it, nor that of others; but put our trust in the living God, and follow after him, and realise that we are his children, and that he is our Father, and that our dependence is upon him, and that every blessing we receive flows from his beneficent hand”.- John Taylor

Penny in the shoe:  today when you feel the penny in your shoe think of something to be grateful for, even small things for we forget many days the tender mercies of the Lord in our daily lives.

Challenge for the day:  When thinking of your trials, your burdens, yours struggles, think of how they have changed you, your life for the good, look at the positive side, be thankful in all things.

Suggested Scripture Reading.  (reading made easy just click a link :) Psalm 34:19  2 Corinthians 4:8–18  1 Peter 4:12–13  Alma 36:3  Ether 12:6  D&C 121:7–8

Journaling thought:  How would your life be different if you had no trials or hardships?  What have you learned about yourself and about God from the things that you have suffered, from your personal Gethsemane?

Thankful for the Thorns

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes as she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door.  Her life and been easy, like a spring breeze.  Then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole her ease.  During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son.She grieved over her loss.  As if that weren’t enough, her husband’s company threatened a transfer, then her sister, whose holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not come.  What’s worse, Sandra’s friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer.  “Had she lost a Child?  No, she has no idea what I’m feeling.”  Sandra shuddered.  Thanksgiving?  Thankful for what? she wondered.  For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear ended her?  For an airbag that saved her life but took that of her child? “Good afternoon, can I help you?” The flower shop clerk’s approach startled her, “sorry,” said Jenny.  I just didn’t want you to think I was ignoring you.”I……I need an arrangement” spouted Sandra.  “For Thanksgiving?” Sandra nodded. “Do you want beautiful ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call “thanksgiving special.” Jenny saw Sandra’s curiosity and continued, ” I’m convinced that flowers tell stories, that each arrangement insinuates a particular feeling.  Are you looking for something that conveys gratitude this Thanksgiving?” “Not exactly!” Sandra blurted.  “Sorry, but in the last five months everything that could go wrong has.”  Sandra regretted her outburst but was surprised when Jenny said, ” I have the perfect arrangement for you.” The door’s small bell suddenly rang, “Barbara Hi!” Jenny said.  She politely excused herself from Sandra and walked toward a small workroom.  She quickly reappeared carrying a massive arrangement of green bows, and long-stemmed thorny roses.  Only the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped, no flowers.  “Want this in a box?” Jenny asked. Sandra watched for Barbara’s response.  Was this a joke?  Who would want rose stems and no flowers?  She waited for laughter, for someone to notice the absence of flowers atop the thorny stems, but neither woman did.  “Yes please, its exquisite,”  said Barbara.  “You’d think after three years of getting the special, I’d not be so moved by its significance, but it’s happening again.  My family will love this one, Thanks!” Sandra stared, “why so normal a conversation about so strange an arrangement,” she wondered.  Um…..” said Sandra pointing, “that lady just left with umm….” “Yes?” said Jenny.  “Well, she had no flowers!”  said Sandra.  “Yep. That’s the Special, I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet.”  But, why do people pay for that?” In spite of herself Sandra chuckled.  “Do you really want to know,” asked Jenny.  “I couldn’t leave this shop without knowing” said Sandra.  “Thats good” said Jenny, “well,” she continued, ” Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling very much like you feel today.  She thought she had very little to be thankful for.  She had lost her father to cancer, the family business was failing, her son was into drugs and she faced major surgery.”  “Ouch,” said Sandra.  “That same year,” Jenny went on, ” I lost my husband, I assumed complete responsibility for the shop and for the first time, spent the holidays alone.  I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to allow any travel.”  “What did you do,” asked Sandra.  “I learned to be thankful for thorns.”  Said Jenny and Sandra’s eyebrows lifted.  “I’m a Christian Sandra, I”ve always thanked God for good things in life and I never thought to ask him why good things happened to me.  But, when bad stuff hit did I ever ask!  It took time to learn that dark times are important.  I always enjoyed the flowers of life but it took thorns to show me the beauty of God’s comfort.  You know the Bible says that God comforts us when we’re afflicted and from His consolation we learn to comfort others.”  Sandra gasped, “a  friend read that passage to me and I was furious, I guess the truth is , I don’t want comfort. I’ve lost a baby and I”m angry with God.”  She started to ask Jenny to go on when the doors bell diverted their attention.  “I’m here for twelve thorny long stems!” Phil laughed heartily.  “I figured as much,” smiled Jenny, “I’ve got them ready”  She lifted a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerated cabinet.  “Beautiful,” said Phil, “My wife will love them”  Sandra could not resist asking, “these are for your wife? Do you mind me asking why thorns?”  “I’m glad you asked,” he said, “four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced.  After forty years we were in a real mess, but we slogged through, problem by rotten problem, we rescued our marriage and our love, really.  Last year at Thanksgiving I stopped in her for flowers.  I must have mentioned surviving a tough process because Jenny told me that for a long time she kept a vase of rose stems, stems! as a reminder of what she learned from thorny times.  That was good enough for me, I took home stems.  My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific thorny situation and give thanks for what the problem taught us.  I”m pretty sure this stem review is becoming a tradition!”  Phil paid Jenny, thanked her again and as he left said to Sandra, “I highly recommend the Special.”  “I don’t know if I can be thankful for thorns in my life,” Sandra to Jenny.  “Well, my experience says that thorns make roses more precious,” replied Jenny, “we treasure God’s providential care more during trouble than at any other time,  Remember, Sandra, Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that we might know his love.  Do not resent thorns.”  Tears rolled down Sandra’s cheeks.  For the first time since the accident she loosened her grip on resentment, “I’ll take twelve long-stemmed thorns please,” said Sandra.  “I hoped you would,” smiled Jenny, I’ll have them ready in a minute.  Then every time you see them, remember to appreciate both good and hard times.  We grow through both.”  “Thank you, what do I owe you?”  “Nothing, nothing but a pledge to work toward healing your heart.  The first year’s arrangement is always on me.”  Jenny handed a card to Sandra.  “I’ll attach a card like this to your arrangement but maybe you’d like to read it first, go a head, read it.”  The card said: My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn. I have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses but never once for my thorns.  Teach me the glory of the cross I bear, teach me the value of my thorns.  Show me that I have climbed to Thee by the path of pain.  Show me that my tears have made my rainbow.

May our hearts be filled with gratitude today and always,

Love from Dixie